them, they are the alpha. that's it for me. i turn you over to wolf blitzer in "the situation room" right now. >> breaking news, an intercepted message from the top of collidia raising deep concerns about a looming terror attack. u.s. troops are or heightened readiness and 19 diplomatic posts are closed for the rest of the week. >> alex rodriguez is suspended through the end of next year's baseball season. and will chelsea clinton now run for office? i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room."

we begin with the breaking news. an intercepted from al qaeda's top leader has intelligence agency scrambling to pick up details about a possible attack. 19 consulates across africa will remain closed all week. the epicenter of the global alert is yemen. adding to the concerns, prison breaks that have freed hundreds of terrorists. u.s. military is now on a heightened state of readiness. barbara, what can you tell us about how the u.s. found out about all of this? >> wolf, what set off alarm bells nsh t bells, in the last two weeks they intercepted a message from

ayman al zawahiri and another man, nasir al wahayshi, just pointed zawahiri's deputy the message from zawahiri said do something, do it big, do it now. that set off huge alarm bells because al qaeda in yemen has been successful in past attacks, they are growing in strength and wahayshi's appointment as number two could promote fund-raising and training. >> where do we go from here? >> we had the information this weekend and we withheld it because of the serious nature of

it. others reported it and it was the feeling of cnn that we wanted to have it reported to our viewers so they knew what we knew now that it's out in the public. the u.s. is doing everything they can to try and look at every piece of intelligence they have to see if they can pick up clues, more clues what al qaeda may have in mind, what in yemen may be planning and can they look at any targets that may be part of a plot? that's what the scramble is behind the scenes. >> deep scramble indeed. just last week a message said to be from the al qaeda chief al zawahiri was appearing online urging muslims to fight against the united states. >> i call on every muslim with

every spot to stop every crime against the muslim in palestine, iraq, afghanistan, yemen, mali and everywhere. >> in our next hour, a report on every terror threat out there. other news we're following, saying it's all about maintaining a level play. alex rodriguez and a dozen other ball players have been suspended for alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. a-rod, a top slugger for two decades, was suspended for 211 games. the other received 50-game suspensions. we'll go to chicago where the yankees are playing. >> reporter: it's a sad day for baseball and a sad day for alex rodriguez, who we're now hearing is expected to address the press

just about an hour from now. he is expected to answer some questions about the suspension. when we caught up with him just a short while ago here at the clubhouse, he wasn't answer anything questions but he did release a statement to cnn. he said, quote, i am disappointed with the penalty and intend to appeal and fight this through the process. i am eager to get back on the field and be with my teammates in chicago tonight. want to thank my family, friends and fans who have stood by my side. all of this again coming after earlier this afternoon major league baseball came out and officially came out and officially suspended alex rodriguez through the 2014 season. they released a statement saying the suspension is based on his use and possession of numerous forms of pro hab itted performance-enhancing substances, including

testosterone and human growth hormone over the course of multiple years. they allege rodriguez attempted to cover up his violations and that he obstructed their investigation. rodriguez for his part has always denied he used performance-enhancing drugs. wolf, when i caught up with alex rodriguez and spoke to him a little more than a week ago when his suspension was still looming over his head, he spoke about the suspension and also about what he wanted husband legacy to be. >> there's no hiding it, i'm not a spring chicken anymore. i'm not 28. i'm going to be 38 in july. but do i think i can contribute, a force in the lineup. is it realistic to go out and hit 40, 50 home runs? i don't think so. but can i go out and have nights like i had last night? i think so. >> is it too early to talk about

legacy, nearing 38? what would you like your legacy snob. >> you know, for someone that loved the game and someone that respected the game and loved his teammates and just loves to compete, the one thing that no one can take away from knee me is the effort i put forth and how much i love this game. >> rodriguez made it very clear then and now that he plans to appeal. he is allowed to play while he appeals this suspension. so he'll be on the field tonight for the opener of this three-game series. it going to be very interesting to see how the crowd receives. >> sure will. too bad i'm not in chicago to watch the game. this could potentially be a career ender for one of baseball's stars. we'll have much more on the a-rod suspension coming up in this later hour. and alex rodriguez is expected

to speak. if he does, we'll bring it to you live. >> turning now about a stunning use of intercepts used against americans. the reuters news organization is saying information is being funneled to them to aid in criminal investigations. the white house press secretary jay carney was asked about this today. >> it's my understanding, our understanding that, the department of justice is looking at some of the issues raised in the story. but for more i would refer you to the department of justice. >> let's bring in our crime and justice correspondent. what is the justice department looking for?

>> they are looking to the dea agency. the story by routers is asking whether it's okay for an office at the d.e.a. known as the special operations division to quietly pass along sensitive or secret tips to investigators. reuters released slides describes the program saying s.o.d.'s process. "if we don't want something to come out in court, we will construct it legally from other places, wofld. >> is it ever legal not to tell a defendant how the case against hem or her.

>> their -- they need to get probable cause that a crime was committed, maybe that's all they need. on the other hand, we talked to a former judge, nancy gertner, at harvard. reuters says they use normal techniques to reconstruct, they call it parallel construction. it's pretty common in law enforcement. but the question here really is what the government leaves out of the previle process that could help a defendant and basically who gets to decide that, wolf. >> up next, mitch mcconnell slammed by rivals back home in kentucky. >> if the doctors told senator mcconnell that he had a kidney stone, he'd refuse to pass it. >> two children who live above a

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to see jerry lund again back in the game. like the loyal democrat he is he's taking orders from the baum campaign on how to run his daughter's campaign. they told him to make a pitch on the internet for the women's vote and he sent a check to anthony weiner! >> the doctors told senator mcconnell that he had a kidney stone, he'd refuse to pass it! >> the people of kentucky have had enough of you fighting desperately to keep your job while doing nothing to help keep jobs in kentucky. >> pretty tough stuff. our chief political analyst gora bo -- gloria borger is here. is he really in trouble? kentucky? >> the polls are neck and neck. he won his last race by just a

handful of points. but he's been careful here. he's pretty cagey. he's being challenged by a tea party person in the republican primary, but he's gotten the endorsement from rand paul, a favorite of the tea party. i think he's going to be okay there. but he does have a serious challenge from this woman and so he's taking it seriously and i think it's going to be a fight to the finish, wolf. it's going to be close. and don't forget, he is the leader of the republican party. >> so even if he wins the republican nomination, it's by no means a lock for him to the win the election against this democrat. >> no, it isn't. she's got a lot of big democratic money. her father was a big bill clinton fund-raiser. he's trying to frame the vote saying she's an easy vote for

harry reid. -- reed. if you want to get republicans in control of the senate, you better vote for me. that's what's at stake here. republicans have a shot at retaking -- >> is that what they're telling voters? >> absolutely. this is about control of the senate. but if you're in the white house, you're saying how is harry reed going to be in upcoming battles? is he going to cut the deal like he did on the fiscal cliff or is he going to run to his right to get those base voters out there? the white house is saying, gee, he didn't vote for compromise on immigration reform in the senate. where is he going to be on the things they might need him for? this a race that has a lot of information implications. >> the election for the senate isn't until november of next year. >> but this is going to be a key race that has a lot of national

implications. >> we'll be covering it. >> we will. >> coming up, new york police shoot a 14-year-old boy. they say he had a gun. >> and authorities blame something that escaped from the pet store for the death in two young boys. it's a golden opporty to see how lexus effortlessly connects you to where you're going. ♪ come to the golden opportunity sales event and experience the connectivity of lexus enform, available on all lexus models, including the es and rx. ♪ this is the pursuit of perfection.

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ma mary, tell our viewers what happened. >> well, the founder and ceo is

buying "the washington post." he's paying $250 million. the paper is home to some of the most respected columnists and writers. over the weekend the "new york times" announced it's selling the "new york post" to john henry for $170 million. >> and in a high crime area of the bronx, the police saw a man with a gun chasing someone else. they yelled at him to drop the gun, they say he didn't. the gunman who turned out to be 14 years old died. >> and a 5-year-old and 7-year-old were in an apartment

above a reptile store. police think a large, exotic snake got loose, slithered into the ventilation system and strangled the boys in their sleep. the snake has been caught. >> and rapper 50 cent pleaded not guilty of domestic violence charges today. he was ordered to either turn in his firearm to police or sell them. his real name is curtis jackson. he faces five years in prison if convicted. wolf? >> thank you. major league baseball lowers the boom on alex rodriguez. does the punishment, though, fit the crime? also, an exclusive interview with chelsea clinton. sheep says she's trying to live a purposely public life. "i'm part of an american success story,"

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two trusted names, one amazing product. hihing, helicopters buzzing, and truck engine humming. sfx: birds chirping sfx: birds chirping now to a florida incident which has a lot of people asking why a school bus driver didn't do more to break up a fight on the bu the bus. all he did was call on the radio. >> get somebody here quick, quick, quick. there's nothing i can do. >> reporter: school bus driver john moody looks on in horror, pleading with the dispatcher to

send somebody to stop the horrendous attack. police say three 15-year-olds attacked the 13-year-old after he told school officials that one had tried to sell him drugs. >> stop! >> you can hear the 13-year-old's tries for help as he's mercilessly punched and stopped. police say they broke his arm and stole his money. the three were arrested on aggravated battery charges. according to school policpolicy driver is not required to intervene, only to call dispatch. >> the three boys started pounding on him, punched on him. i did all i can. >> many counties forbid drivers to break up fights.

he won't say charges but say the 60-year-old could have done more. >> there was clearly opportunity for him to intervene and check on the welfare of the child to do so in this case, though he didn't make any attempt to do so. >> his attorney says he's haunted by the attack, wondering if he could have done more. >> i wanted to help him so bad, i wanted to help him so bad, i wanted to help him. >> meanwhile los angeles police are holding a man who one witness says intended to, quote, create mayhem and massacre a lot of people. he alleged live droly drove on venice beach boardwalk trying to hit as many people as possible. first of all, casey, what do we know about the driver? >> reporter: the suspect that the l.a.p.d. has in custody, a 38-year-old man by the name of

nathan campbell, we have confirmed in 1995, 1996 when he was around 20, 21 years old, he spent time in a homeless youth shelter in hollywood. clearly this is a person that has been having some sort of problems for a long time. just in the last little while, two media outlets, los angeles times and the associated press, reporting he served some brief jail time and was arrested in colorado in 2009 for shoplifting and trespassing. right now the district attorney's office in los angeles saying they have not decided what charges, if any, he is going to face. that decision will be faced sometimes tomorrow. you can see there is a memorial here that has been built and there will be a vigil for the one victim who died in this tragedy, the italian woman who happened toing in venice here on

her honeymoon. she and her husband was planning a honeymoon and planning to go to tahiti after this. tragically, she and he never made it. 15 others injured in this tragedy. >> what a heart breaking story. is there a motive? is there any rationale for why this individual allegedly would do this? >> wolf, i'm sorry but my communication with you is being interrupted, i'm having a hard time understanding what you said. i think you may have asked about any sort of rationale why this may have happened. police are not talking about any motive. the one thing i can tell you is looking at the scene and seeing how he drove his car on to this board walk, there are several way does that very easily. he went through a very narrow sidewalk opening. not sure what significance that has. he took one of the most difficult routes to get down

here, wolf. >> casey wian with a difficult story indeed. >> up next, major league baseball lowers the boom on alex rodriguez. does the punishment fit the crime? come to the lexus golden opportunity sales event and choose from one of five lexus hybrids that's right for you, including the lexus es and ct hybrids. ♪ this is the pursuit of perfection. ♪ i'to guard their manhood with trnew depend shields and guards. the discreet protection that's just for guys. now, it's your turn. get my training tips at guardyourmanhood.com and you wouldn't have it any other way.e. but your erectile dysfunction - you know, that could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph,

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back now to a top story. major league baseball brought down the hammer today handing out suspensions to 13 more players for alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. 12 of those players have accepted 50-game suspensions, but new york yankee super star alex rodriguez, one of the

yankees' most powerful sluggers for two decades has been banned for 211 game, the remainder of this year as well as next season. but he plans to fight the punishment. ryan braun accepted a 65-game ban. i guess it's not as bad for a-rod as it could have been. he could have received a lifetime suspension, right? >> that's what major league baseball is threatening. a-rod today has proved he is what he always has been, which is one of a kind. 12 other players got their 50-game suspension from major league baseball, accepted them. baseball tried to hand alex rodriguez a penalty that they had never done before. a stronger penalty than any they had ever done before. a-rod has chosen to fight this penalty. this fight is really just beginning, wolf.

>> let's talk about this. if he would have accepted it, that would have been a penalty of, what, $31 million. he would have lost this year and next year. that's 3d 1 million no matter which one you cut it, that's still a lot of money. >> it certainly is. remember alex rodriguez is in a different position from any of these other 12 penalized players. he's 38 years old, near the end of his career. he's already earned some $350 million in his career. and, yes, he has $100 million more to go. he's always been someone concerned with money and making as much of it as he can. but at this point in his career, he's also concerned with his dignity and his legacy. and he has shown major league baseball in no uncertain terms he is going to go down with a fight, if he's going down at all. >> during this appeal he's already making it clear he's going to appeal this decision. he can still play, is that right? >> he's starting tonight for the

new york yankees at third base and batting clean-up. that's going to be in chicago this evening. >> how long could the appeals process go on? could it go on for the rest of the season? >> it could. you know, the players union is saying that this thing could drag on into november, into december. so, you know, a-rod is set to play many more games before his penalty is upheld or not upheld after tonight. >> so what happens if the penalty is upheld after the appeals process and the mediator says, you know, what you're going to be punished, it still will be 211 games, they're not going to change that, even if he plays the rest of the season, is that right? >> that's right. i think the most likely outcome is that the decision will be that a-rod will be suspended for less than those 211 games. this is an unprecedented suspension. major league baseball will make the case that a-rod's fall fes

and was far worse than that of any of his colleagues but the sheer magnitude of his suspension is one we haven't seen before. the union has every reason to fight a suspension of this magnitude and they certainly will. >> why should he be punished more than the others? the others got 50 or 60-game suspensions. why should he get 211? in other words, what did he do that was so much more egregious than the other does? >> on a macro level, alex rodriguez is sort of the face of the stair identifieds generation. on one level it's a public relations issue that bud selig wants to hit him hard, make an example of him. but on another level, major league baseball will contend that alex rodriguez's misdeeds were far worse than anyone else who simply went to the biogenesis clinic and took

performance-enhancing drugs from there. they're going to say he's interfered with their investigation that, he's lied for a long time and that he recruited other major league players to this clinic and encouraged them to do what he was doing. that's going to be their argument. we're going to have to wait and see if it's going to be get called up before an arbitrator. >> he's never tested positive so he's denying the allegation. >> he certainly is. none of these players who were tested today tested positive. this is really the fruit of an investigation by major league baseball that has lasted over one year and cost them millions upon millions of dollars. the fact that other players have come to the a deal with the league shows they have some pretty strong evidence but

perhaps not strong enough to expect alex rodriguez to -- >> so it your thought the suspension will be upheld? >> i think the suspension will be upheld but i don't think the length will be what major league baseball has cited today. >> thanks very much, ben, for that. >> thanks, wolf. >> he's going to be speaking, we're told, alex rodriguez live. he's holding a news conference. the yankees are holding a news conference. once he shows up there, we'll go there live, you'll see it here in the situation room. a-rod, our live detention. she's lived her entire life in the spt light run one of these days? and if you like your burgers rare, how about one straight

from the test tube? jeannie moos reports on a stem cell tasting. >> there are 40 billion cells in that one little hamburger. to angie's list for bringing us together. find out why more than two million members count on angie's list. angie's list -- reviews you can trust. ♪ [ male announcer ] it's a golden opportunity to discover the heart-pounding exhilaration beyond the engineering. ♪ come to the golden opportunity sales event to experience the precision handling of the lexus performance vehicles, including the gs and all-new is. ♪ this is the pursuit of perfection. ♪ i'to guard their manhood with trnew depend shields and guards.

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after years out of the public eye, chelsea clinton is now very much in the spotlight and she's not ruling out a run for public office, she's now on a nine-day trip with her father. we caught up with her in rwanda

for this interview. >> reporter: what has been known of you in the past is you've always been a private person and now it seems you're raising your profile with your work in the clinton foundation. >> i always feel that i can make a difference. i hear my grandmother's voice in my head saying that it's not about what you do but what your grand -- but what you do with that. if we can help someone do that, we don't want any cred wit that. we're also uniquely positioned because of the work that my parents have done and the work that i'm joining them in doing to convene different partners from the public sector, from the private sector and from the

nonprofit sector and that is what we saw in action. through the global initiative we were able to connect world vision with procter & gamble, who is these pure packets that help almost any water become safe. i find it completely unacceptable that in the 2 1s century more than 2,000 kids a day die of severe hydration due to diarrhea. >> do you see that culminating in a run for office? >> not now. at the moment i'm so grateful for the work i'm able to do through the clinton foundation, the work i'm able to do in places like rwanda, i know that i'm making a difference. i never want to have a wasted day. i want to wake up every day and kind of think about how i can best be of service and, you know, for now that's this. i'm also grateful to live in a city and stay and a country where i really believe in my elected officials, in their

eth ethos. if someday those weren't true or i thought could i make a difference in the private sector, i'd have to make a run. other news we're following, w r we're getting revelations, asking what the internal revenue service is up to. now dana bash has learned another powerful agency, the federal election commission may fall under suspicion as well, intentional harassment, i should say, not international harassment. what kind of information.

at least -- one investigator was discussing the status of a conservative group called the american future fund. now he says shortly after lerner was contacted, the irs sent a questionnaire to that very conservative group. it is still unclear if it is in his words benign or sin sters. -- sinister. we reached out to the irs for comment and they said the irs takes its obligation to protect

confidential information very serious live but they also simply can't talk, wolf, about specific ongoing cases. >> these e-mails began talking about e-mails that they want to hand over to them in congress. >> late last week, republicans in congress were investigating this, they released a few e-mail exchanges that they obtained between learner at the irs and an attorney at the american future fund and also a second conservative group. those e-mails specifically asked lerner for public information. democrats say passing along public information is neither legal nor nefarious, but republicans say why would one agency call another for public information. i should also say that we reached out to democratic chair of the fbc, we had not heard back yesterdt, but they're sayi

republicans are throwing mud against the wall with the hope that something will stick. >> the saga will continue, to be sure. when we come back, we'll have more on today's startling revelation about the source of the new al qaeda terror threat that comes right from the top, the man you're looking at there. but up next, jeannie with a burner that's unlike anything you've ever seen. >> it's close to meat. it's not that juicy. [ male announcer ] a doctor running late for a medical convention loses his computer, exposing thousands of patient records to identity theft. data breaches can happen that easily. we don't believe you should be a victim of someone else's mistake. we're lifelock. we constantly monitor the web

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sfx: birds chirping sfx: birds chirping like carpools... polly wants to know if we can pick her up. yeah, we can make room. yeah. [ male announcer ] ...office space. yes, we're loving this communal seating. it's great. [ male announcer ] the best thing to share? a data plan. at&t mobile share for business. one bucket of data for everyone on the plan, unlimited talk and text on smart phones. now, everyone's in the spirit of sharing. hey, can i borrow your boat this weekend? no. [ male announcer ] share more. save more. at&t mobile share for business. ♪ at&"that starts with one ofess. the world's most advancedy," distribution systems," "and one of the most efficient trucking networks," "with safe, experienced drivers." "we work directly with manufacturers," "eliminating costly markups," "and buy directly from local farmers in every region of the country."

"when you see our low prices, remember the wheels turning behind the scenes, delivering for millions of americans, everyday. "dedication: that's the real walmart" sfx: oil gushing out of pipe. sfx: birds chirping. saving time by booking an appointment online, even smarter. online scheduling. available now at meineke.com. here's a look at this week's hot shots. from green land, glaciers are seen floating in the water. in hong kong, city lights

brighten up the sky. and in northern france, a butterfly searches for food on a flower. hot shots, pictures coming in from around the world. two of the most popular performers in the world, madonna and lady gaga, may be in trouble with the russians. cnn's senior international correspondent matthew chance has the details. >> reporter: even if you're one of the world's biggest superstars, speaking out on gay rights in russia is risky. lady gaga as finding out. >> tonight, this is my house, russia. you can be gay in my house. >> reporter: now russian officials say the pop star staged her concert without proper work visas. the complaint was filed by the lawmaker behind russia's controversial anti-gay laws. another icon, madonna is also

accused of spreading what russia calls gay propaganda after she spoke out at her concert in st. petersburg last year. >> now, i am here to say that the gay community and gay people here and all around the world have the same rights. >> but in russia, activists say gay rights are under increasing pressure, along with anyone who dares to support them. matthew chance, cnn moscow. >> it isn't exactly a mystery meat, jeanne moos shows us the unusual source of a new kind of burger. >> reporter: if you like your burgers rare, you won't find meat rarer than this. monday morning, there were only two of these on earth and one got eaten. >> the burger has its own security guard and i wouldn't be surprised if it's going to have an agent after this. >> reporter: this being the first public taste test of a

test tube burger. >> an historic event. a world first. >> reporter: if you think golf is slow, wait until you hear the play by play when a test tube burger is cooked in a london press conference. >> how is it cooking? >> it's holding incredibly well. >> reporter: grown from stem cells taken from the shoulder of a cow. >> we actually are producing meat. it's just not in a cow. >> reporter: professor mark post has been developing a burger made in the lab for five years. the $330,000 burger was funded by the co-founder of google. >> nice pleasant arow that, but very subtle at this stage. >> reporter: burger in a test tube may look like pepto-bismol. he said it would produce way more meat without slaughtering all the cattle. there's a catch -- >> how do you overcome the yuck

factor? >> gross. >> i'm weary of anything created in a lab. >> reporter: do you like burgers? >> i like burgers. but from a cow. not from a -- >> reporter: a petri dish. and a nutrition researcher and a food writer served as independent unpaid testers. >> but there's quite some intense taste. it's close to meat. it's not that juicy. >> like an animal protein cake. >>. >> what the test tube burger doesn't have is fat. fat chance it's going to taste as good. >> i miss salt and pepper. >> reporter: they did add bread crumbs, caramel, red beet juice for color and saffron. no lettuce, tomatoes, onions, catch-up. reporters in the audience beg for leftover scraps. >> can i please have a small bite? >> reporter: reports varied widely. tastes like meat.

tastes like crap. someone quipped can't believe it's not cow. >> where's the beef? >> reporter: it's in the test tube. remember when test tube babies were rare? jeanne moos, cnn. >> where's the beef? >> reporter: new york. >> if you're thinking of taste testing this burger for yourself, not so fast. dr. post estimates that the test tube burger probably won't be commercially for at least ten to 20 years. happening now, u.s. forces are on the move to respond to a potentially terror attack after u.s. officials broke into communications at the highest level of al qaeda. the master bomb maker also may be involved. could pose more danger to americans than any other terrorist. and yankees star alex rodriguez about to speak out this hour about his suspension from major league baseball, and his plan to appeal. we want to welcome our viewers in the united states and around the world. i'm wolf blitzer.

you're in "the situation room." u.s. officials say an attack could happen anywhere in world at any time. we the now report that the latest terror threat appears to have been ordered by none other than osama bin laden's successor. a shutdown has been extended. 19 american diplomatic embassies in the middle east and africa will remain closed for the rest of this week. chris lawrence is joining us now, he's got more on the threat, the u.s. response. what's the latest? >> reporter: local security teams have installed extra blast walls outside some american embassies and a newly formed quick reaction team of 500 marines is now ready to deploy within four hours from its base in spain. while u.s. officials still don't know if it involves embassies or

planes, trains or bases, it's clear why they're telling the americans to take it seriously. the cascade of warnings was triggered by intercepted communication, which is now being revealed as a direct order from al qaeda's leader. cnn has learned he ordered his new deputy in yemen to basically do something and launch an attack. that deputy high on the u.s. target list. along with another yemeni, al qaeda's master bomb maker. >> the threat emanates from and maybe focused on occurring in the arabian peninsula rather, but it could potentially be beyond that. >> reporter: the message directly links the central al qaeda group that carried out attacks on 9/11 with aqap, its affilia affiliate in yemen. unlike 2001, senior leaders give broad instructions, not step by

step orders on carrying out a specific attack. >> you have a separate chain, to some extent, of experienced technical people and leaders who actually carry out attacks, make bombs, put the equipment together. >> reporter: on monday, senior administration officials met to talk about a resurgent al qaeda. special operations teams have been placed on high alert overseas. drone surveillance has been stepped up and analysts are collecting more satellite images trying to pinpoint a target. >> we are going to keep evaluating information as it comes in. >> reporter: cnn obtained the information about the al qaeda leaders' involvement over the weekend. we did not report his name and that level of detail at the time because u.s. government officials had concerns over the sensitivity of that information. since then, other media outlets have reported that, including

"the new york times," and because it is now out there in such a wide form, cnn has now decided to go ahead and report that. >> all right, chris, thank you for that explanation. chris lawrence at the pentagon. let's get some more now with our cnn terrorism analyst here in washington. also joining us fran townsend in new york, she's the former homeland security adviser to president george w. bush. she currently serves on the cia's external advisory board as well. we're talking about intercepting some sort of communication between the al qaeda leader and someone else, what does that mean? >> it's unlikely he would have sent an e-mail himself because that would have invited drone strike. it's more likely he'll use the technique that bin laden did, give a note to a courier on a thumb drive who would send it to

yemen. >> fran, you're an expert on this subject. a sensitive subject. now that he and his top aides now the u.s. intercepted this communication between the al qaeda leader and someone else presumably al qaeda and the arabian peninsula, they suspect the u.s. has this capability and they're going to try to change their communications so this will undermine what the u.s. had, right? >> wolf, that's exactly right. which explains why u.s. government officials initially asked media outlets to please not report that it was a communication between them. those two individuals understand precisely how they communicated, whether it was through a cutout in a thumb drive, whether it was by telephone or a cell phone of some sort. they know precisely how that communication took place and they will absolutely not use that again knowing that the u.s. government was able to intercept

it. >> and so we don't know in terms of how the interception took place, whether it was stolen from some website or something like that, from some sort of cafe where they were sending these e-mails, if they were e-mails, or if there was an informant or something along those lines, right? >> that's absolutely right. we don't know that for sure at this point, whether it was an electronic intercept or a courier. >> what's your analysis on what's going on right now? how serious is this current threat? because the longer it goes on, the more americans are going to probably say nothing has happened, it can't be that bad. >> that's right, wolf, but we should remind our viewers that look, one of the reasons the government takes the risk and makes it public is to buy themselves time, buy themselves time to identify the individuals involved, the explosives to perhaps use whether it's drones or foreign intelligence services to actually thwart the plot. so while there will be things we don't see, it doesn't mean the

u.s. government and its allies aren't taking action. this is an incredibly serious threat. when you've got him discussing this sort of a plot, you know that it's serious. remember, he issued a video statement talking about the muslim brothers around the world who were incarcerated. we've seen these prison breaks. 2000 al qaeda related affiliates have escaped from prison in eight countries throughout the region. there's a lot of activity that have caused them to take this quite seriously. >> you wrote an article about this number two al qaeda leader, and it comes at a time when i just got a press release from the embassy here in washington, d.c. listing 25 suspected terrorists that are now on their most wanted list. tell us about it.

>> he was bin laden's private secretary in afghanistan. he then built up after escaping from jail in yemen in 2006. he's seen within the al qaeda movement as a potential long-term successor to bin laden. he has the same sort of calm, humble charisma that bin laden had as far as his followers are concerned. seen as the new bin laden. >> doesn't he realize that being the number two al qaeda leader may be the most dangerous job in the world? because the u.s. often gets the number two. >> that's absolutely right. but wuhayshi has been on the u.s. radar screen for quite some time. in hiding somewhere in yemen. >> is it possible that may call the whole thing off? >> unlikely that they'll call the whole thing off, wolf. more likely that they will delay it. as you mentioned earlier, will cause americans to say well wait a minute, we had this big threat

warning and nothing happened. that's a good thing. it gives us time to disrupt. and frankly, our allies in the region, especially the saudi security services who understand better than anyone in world al qaeda and the arabian peninsula, it gives us time to react. >> the leader of yemen, they've been important players in this as well, right, fran? >> absolutely, wolf. and they've grown capability with the help of the saudis, the americans and their allies. they've grown a real security service that's been very cooperative. both with western governments and in the region. >> thanks very much for coming in. up next, a u.s. intelligence insider says an attack still could happen any moment. u.s. embassies aren't necessarily the target. and we're standing by to hear directly from alex rodriguez. the yankee slugger about to speak out about his suspension from major league baseball. there you see the yankee manager joe girardi. he's speaking to the media.

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liberty mutual insurance -- responsibility. what's your policy? some top members of congress are calling the new al qaeda threat a wake-up call. they say the terror group is stronger than it was in many ways even before 9/11. and joining us now, the ranking member of the house permanent committee on intelligence. congressman, thanks very much for coming in. let's get right to it. is the threat, according to your analysis, as significant today as it was on friday when we first learned about it? >> yes, it is. it's a very serious threat. i've seen the intelligence. it's a threat coming from the highest levels of al qaeda. and especially focused in the arabian peninsula. yemen. and areas like that. if you recall in the past, the tax really attempted and didn't go off, the underwear bomber, the cartridge bomber, the times

square, that was all emanating from yemen. yemen has focused on the united states and attacking the homeland. so we're very concerned about this, but we're concerned about other parts of the world and our highest priority is protecting americans wherever they are in the world. the best defense against terrorism is intelligence. >> do they still anticipate some sort of attempted terrorist plot to unfold within the next few days? >> we have to take every precaution that is necessary to protect american lives. and that's what we're doing. we want to put everyone in the world and americans on alert. and with that, we also are asking people if they see anything unusual to let the authorities know right away. so we have to make sure that we take every precaution and that's why we're maintaining and that's why the president has decided to take this into next friday at this point. we're attempting to get all the information we can, all the intelligence we can from our allies and other people, but we

take this threat very, very seriously. >> so as far as timing is concerned, you're worried it could happen literally at any moment. >> well, that's the concern. and we're concerned about techniques. we know that al qaeda has understood and has learned some of our methods, so they're not planning the big attacks and letting a lot of people know. that's what happened with the attempted attacks in the united states. and because of that, we're concerned about different techniques, about putting explosi explosives, plastic explosives in people's bodies, so those explosions will not be detected. they're continuing to move and trying to find ways to attack us and kill americans and our allies. so we have to be vigilant and take every precaution. and we want to make sure that americans are aware and we also want the bad guys -- we want the people attempting to kill us every day to know that we understand the threat is there and we're doing everything we can to stop it. >> do you think all this publicity surrounding the u.s. actions now and the aftermath of these fears may have derailed

this plot or convinced the terrorists out there if they were planning on doing something not to do it now? >> it's a good question, but that's part of the tactic. not only are we letting americans throughout the world and the united states know that there's a threat that is out there, but it also sends a message to al qaeda, you know, we're getting intelligence and we're going to do what we can to stop it and we're doing everything we can, everything that we can do legally to get information about where it's going to happen and try to stop it. >> the threat emanates from yemen. al qaeda and the arabian peninsula in yemen -- >> i didn't say it emanated. i said we're concerned that's where a lot of the planning and that's where the focus might be. we don't have as much detailed intelligence as we would like. but we do have intelligence on the actual threat itself. so we're worried about al qaeda and where they are anywhere in the world. there could be people that they sent and put in place way before we heard or knew of this threat.

that's why we have to be aware. >> so it could be here in the united states, it could be in europe, it could be in the middle east. the u.s. intelligence community doesn't know. >> we have to be ready. and that's why we don't have the exact specifics. but let me say this. part of what al qaeda tries to do is disrupt. americans have lived their lives just like they do every day, but be aware. i wouldn't take a vacation to yemen, though. that just doesn't make sense. or other hot spots. that's why we closed the embassies in those hot spots because we think at this point they might be most vulnerable. >> if the embassies are reopened, is that a sign that the threat has gone away? >> i can't discuss that at this point because i don't know. we're attempting to get intelligence. we're getting briefed on this on a regular basis. we have all the mechanic nicsms find out whether or not the threat has dissipated. again, you don't want to be in a position where you're saying everything is okay and then all

of a sudden we're vulnerable and get attacked. we're taking every precaution to protect americans throughout the bor world and our allies. >> you referred to this bomb maker, this yemeni bomb maker. i think he's originally from saudi arabia but believed to be in yemen right now. is he key to this potential plot? >> he very well could be. there are a lot of people that have a lot of expertise that are working with al qaeda and attempting to put together -- find ways to kill us and make sure they can go through areas where -- as an example, through an airport so they wouldn't be detected. that's why they're doing research and development. these are serious people attempting to kill us and they're very smart and we have to stay a step ahead of them. we have to be aware of the bomb maker. he's an enemy of the united states and he wants to kill americans. >> dr. ruppersberger, thank you very much. >> okay, wolf. >> we're standing by, we're

awaiting alex rodriguez. we expect him to come to this microphone there in chicago where the yankees are playing tonight. his first public comments about today's 211-game suspension. as soon as we see a-rod start speaking, we're going there live. here we honor the proud accomplishments of our students and alums. people like, maria salazar, an executive director at american red cross. or garlin smith, video account director at yahoo. and for every garlin, thousands more are hired by hundreds of top companies. each expanding the influence of our proud university of phoenix network. that's right, university of phoenix. enroll now. we've got a frame waiting for you. [ beeping ] ♪ [ male announcer ] we don't just certify our pre-owned vehicles. we inspect, analyze and recondition each one,

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this uniform again. and to play major league baseball again. and i feel like i was 18 years old back in fenway park in 1994 when i went in to face the red sox for the very first time. and it's been 20 years. just very excited to have the opportunity to go out there and play baseball and help my team win. and prove to myself, my teammates, the fans of new york, the fans of baseball that i

still have a shot to play the game at a high level and i'm going to give it my best. >> ballplayers accepted some sentencing. what went into your decision? >> well, there was a lot. i'm not going to get into any of that today. i think obviously disappointing with the news today, no question about it. but what we've always fought for is for the process and i think we have that, and at some point we'll sit in front of an arbiter and give it my case. >> when you said you were

disappointed in the penalty that mlb imposed but you didn't deny the charges. do you deny that you used p.e.d.s? >> we'll have a form to discuss all of that and we'll talk about it then. >> alex, do you feel that this is a witch hunt by major league baseball? >> a what? >> a witch hunt. >> i don't want to discuss that. i don't know what the motivation is for any of this. but i'm going to respect the process. i feel good that we have an opportunity to do that in the right platform. and we're going to state our case. >> what are the likelihoods that during the process of the appeal and you see the evidence that major league baseball may have against you, that you would drop that appeal and go on as life

goes on? >> i'm sorry, repeat the first part of that question. >> what are the chances that during the appeal, you see the evidence that major league baseball has against you, they have to show you that, is it likely that you would back away from the appeal and go on and take the punishment? >> if i'm understanding your question properly, we've seen everything. again, there will be a time and a place for all of that. when the time is right, we'll all speak more freely. >> alex, if the appeal process does not go your way, have you come to terms at all with the idea that your baseball career could possibly be over? >> say that first part again. >> if the appeal process does not come your way, have you come to terms yet with the idea that your baseball career could possibly be over? >> i've got to tell you, i

haven't thought that far ahead, but i am so excited to have an opportunity to wear this uniform and help this team win. there's a lot of baseball to be played for us this year. and i hope that for one moment with this appeal process, we have an opportunity to talk about the greatest game in the world, to take a little bit of a time-out from this, and give the fans of baseball an opportunity to focus on all the great stories that are happening in baseball right now. above all, i'm a huge baseball fan. and i hope that we can put the light on a lot of this. so hopefully today we can take a time-out and take a deep breath and focus on all these great baseball stories. >> you were mentioned there were a couple of different parties that were trying to keep you off the field. you didn't specify, but the

perception is the yankees were one of them. i was wondering with you coming back now and being among the team, do you have to talk to brian cashman at all coming back or talk to anybody to clear the air or try to clarify what you had said? >> well, i spoke with cash last night -- i mean, yesterday afternoon. we just talked about playing third base today, being back. he welcomed me back. for me, it's going to be business as usual. i've got a job to do. i have 24 teammates in there. we have a mission to enter the most postseason. obviously we have challenges ahead of us. but i think my focus is what can i do to help this team win. trying to understand what's been happening. get in the groove as quick as i can and help lead this offensive team to where we need to go. >> first of all, based on your conversations with your attorneys with the union, do you expect to play through the season, based on the timing of the appeal process? >> i haven't gotten any

indication of the timing of anything. i'm so focused on tonight, and it's been a long time for me. the last time i was on the field, it wasn't pretty. it was against detroit in the playoffs and against baltimore. and i was horrific. so i have an opportunity now to come in and hit in the middle of the lineup, hopefully get some big hits and help this team enter the playoffs. >> referring to your comments friday night, he thought they were counterproductive and he thought alex probably isn't that happy with those comments. >> who? >> michael weiner was saying that perhaps you were not happy looking back with those comments, wondering how you feel about them a few days later. >> i said what i said. that's friday night. today is another day and i'm focused on what my job is responsibilities to the fan base of new york. i do want to thank all the fans

and some of the media people and my dominican people and all the hispanics all over the world. i mean, the support i've gotten has been incredible. it's been the toughest fight of my life. this is probably just phase two, just starting. it's not going to get easier. it's probably going to get harder. but i am humbled and i'm thankful for the support. >> one thing i don't quite understand, you've said there's a time and a place to talk about stuff. if you didn't use p.e.d.s, why don't you just say it? >> there's a lot of things that have been thrown to the wall. i think when the time is right, there will be an opportunity to do all of that. i don't think that time is right now and i don't want to interfere or get in the way of due process. >> in 2009, you asked fans to judge you from that point forward in your press conference

at spring training. what would you say now? >> i would tell them that, you know, please have some patience, let this process play out. you know, in due time, we'll have an opportunity to reset. >> a lot of stuff has gone on the last few weeks and months with the yankees, between you and the yankees. do you feel that they want you back? >> if i'm productive, i think they want me back. i feel tremendous support from our clubhouse. i feel great support from my manager. i think overall, we all have the same goal. new york is about winning championships. it's about producing. and hopefully i have an opportunity to do that and help us all reach our goal. >> over the course of the last however long, any decisions you

made, any action chose to make, if you regret -- are there regrets? if there are things you regret, i'm wondering about what those might be. >> you're talk about -- [ inaudible question ] >> look, tim, there's nothing that has been easy. all of it has been challenging. i'm sure there's been mistakes made along the way. we're here now. i'm a human being. i've had two hip surgeries. i've had two knee surgeries. i'm fighting for my life. i have to defend myself. if i don't defend myself, no one else will. there's a process. i'm happy the process in due time hopefully -- whatever happens happens. >> one in espanol. [ speaking spanish ] >> since they're going to spanish, we'll break away. but you get the gist of what

alex rodriguez has to say. he was zesuspended for 211 game the rest of this season, all of next season. could cost him $31 million. but he's appealing so that means he could still play during the appeal process and he will be playing tonight for the new york yankees. ben ryder is joining us now. what's your immediate reaction to what we just heard? >> one thing is clear, wolf, whatever alex rodriguez did during his time away it was not taking acting classes. the pregnant pauses, the biting of the lip in his introductory statement. none of that was very believable. but that's really beside the issue here. that's not at issue. he did not deny that he took performance-enhancing drugs in this press conference. he declined to address that question. what he really said again and again was let's let the process play out. let's trust the process. that's referring to the grievance process that's about

to begin here and that's really related to the length and severity of this penalty. 211 games. that's simply unprecedented. we've had major league players commit violent crimes who have not got than suspension. hate crimes. multiple failed drug tests. so that's where we are right now. at issue is not whether alex rodriguez did or did not take performance-enhancing drugs. if he didn't, he'd be the victim of one of the greatest conspiracies in sports history. what's really at issue is this very, very severe penalty, and i think that a-rod probably played it right in focusing on that process. >> and now it will be up to an outside arbiter to decide whether or not the suspension goes forward or doesn't go forward. but this could take weeks if not months for that outside arbitration to take place. in the meantime, he will continue to play, he will continue to get paid, right? >> that's absolutely right. major league baseball -- the union chief today projected that

this grievance could last through november or december. of course, the major league season only goes into october if the yankees are fortunate to make the playoffs. i think at this point, health permits, we should expect the see alex rodriguez on the field for the rest of this season. we'll just have to wait and see. >> he's batting cleanup tonight, right? >> batting cleanup, playing third base for the new york yankees, who actually need him as derek jeter went back on the disabled list today. so the yankees might not want to pay his condition tractract, bud certainly use his bat. >> we'll see how he does. a lot of people i'm sure will be watching the game tonight. ben reiter from "sports illustrated." still ahead, obama once declared that the u.s. had al qaeda on the run. does he regret those words right now? t the ball rolling. coca-cola is partnering with nashville parent and charlotte parent magazines, along with the mayors of those cities, in the fit family challenge.

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the white house clearly trying to keep americans' fears in check as we learn more about the threat of a possible terror attack in the coming days, maybe even hours and it's all raising questions about president obama's fight to weaken al qaeda and whether it's been as successful as he has claimed. jim acosta is at the white house. what's going on here, jim? >> reporter: white house officials are rejecting the notion that the administration has taken its eye off the ball in its fight against al qaeda. it is a fight the white house has maintained for months -- it's been winning. the obama administration is defending its decision to shut down almost 20 diplomatic posts near al qaeda hot spots as a temporary measure that's out of

an abundance of caution, not weakness. >> we believe that this threat is significant and we are taking it seriously. >> reporter: but the president who made the call to take out osama bin laden and has talked up his administration's call against al qaeda, a key theme in his re-election campaign. >> and al qaeda is on the path to defeat and osama bin laden is dead. >> reporter: and months into his second term. >> for al qaeda is a shell of its former self. >> reporter: in light of the attack on the u.s. consulate in benghazi and the new terror alert, republican senator lindsey graham says far from it. >> after benghazi, these al qaeda types are really on steroids, thinking we're weaker and they're stronger. >> is it fair anymore to say that al qaeda is on the path to defeat? >> i think most people who cover these issues understand it, there is no question over the past several years al qaeda core has been greatly diminished and we have made clear over the past several years that aqap, al

qaeda in the arabian peninsula, is of particular concern. >> reporter: but al qaeda core appears to be evolving. the man leading is now believed to be al qaeda's number two in command. the ultimate question terror analysts say is whether this new al qaeda still has the capacity to pull off another 9/11 style attack. the closing of the embassies, some of which are already like bunkers, are reminders the terror network can still make an impact. >> to some degree, there is at least somewhat of a propaganda victory for al qaeda. because they're forcing us, the united states, to act in a way that we otherwise wouldn't or don't want to. >> i think any fair assessment would conclude. >> reporter: as for those nsa surveillance efforts that have been leaked out in the next several weeks, lawmakers basically pointed to this terror threat in calling those programs a success, saying that they've

proven their worth. when asked about whether or not the administration agrees with that assessment, he said he did not want to blend these issues. >> all right, jim, thank you. two guests join us now with different takes on the al qaeda threat to the united states right now. cliff may is the president for the foundation of the defense and democracies, and our national security analyst peter bergen. you wrote a piece saying -- and the headline was time to declare a victory, al qaeda is defeated. are you ready to revise or amend? do you want the change that? what's your assessment right now based on this current threat? >> al qaeda the organization that attacked us on 9/11 is still defeated by any kind of objective. it hasn't done an attack at all in the west since july 7th, 2005, the london attacks. most of its leadership is dead.

now, al qaeda in particular places in syria is back. but they have shown no interest or ability to attack outside syria. al qaeda in iraq is back. so, you know, particular regional affiliates of al qaeda are doing better. does that mean the united states is in grave danger? the answer is no. >> we disagree and here's the reason we disagree. between 1992 and 2001, there wasn't an attack in the u.s. and there was a lot of complacency. >> the two u.s. embassies were destroyed in 1998. >> but it wasn't in the u.s. what we've seen is al qaeda evolving, al qaeda morphing, al qaeda getting a structure that we might call a network with various notes. the u.s. government is saying there are at least 17 countries in which they believe al qaeda has the ability to attack our embassies or our consulates. that's a lot of countries for a defeated organization to have. plus, they're the most important fighting force in syria, not a small fighting force, the most important. plus, they have been killing more people.

i think it was 700 in july alone in iraq than we've seen in a very long time. plus, they have affiliates in nigeria. in mali, they took over until the french went in. this is an organization that is decentralized and has a network structure that may be more powerful and dangerous. >> that's what peter king, the chairman of the house homeland security subcommittee on intelligence and counterterrorism says he makes the same point. >> yeah, and these points aren't necessarily in contradiction with each other. the fact that it's a more networked organization doesn't actually make it more dangerous. i mean, it means that we've put a lot of pressure on these groups. they find it hard to organize together. if they had a safe haven, we attack them with drones. let's say the invasion of normandy wasn't conducted by a decentralized network. it was conducted by the u.s. military. a highly organized organization. so the fact that al qaeda has

been sort of pushed down and has become more disorganized, less bureaucratic, and all the other things that we associated with before 9/11 means that it is much harder for it to attack the united states. >> well, we don't know until it actually happens. this is a different kind of war than world war ii. we need to adjust to that and i think that means taking the war to the enemy and to the various cells and country where is they exist. even core al qaeda, thefs he wa touch with his commander in yemen, and we know of at least two other circumstances in which he has been in direct contact. in other words, he is an active manager of al qaeda. >> does he like bin laden, zawari? >> he hasn't been able to conduct any attack against the united states. >> but this is a propaganda victory for al qaeda. all the alarm that has been generated, the concern that has

been generated. >> sure. if the definition of victory is that we closed some embassies, i mean, that is not a particularly big deal. a big deal is an attack on the united states. a big deal is an attack that kills americans and these groups have shown almost no ability to do so. >> i know we're approaching the anniversary of 9/11 and the first anniversary of benghazi. people are getting nervous and i can testify because i've been hearing it the past few days. we'll see what happens. hopefully nothing and then we can move on. peter, thanks very much. cliff, thanks to you as well. up next, the man behind al qaeda's next generation of bombs, his possible role in the latest terror threat and desperate moves to keep him safe. ♪ [ male announcer ] it's a golden opportunity to discover a hybrid from the luxury car company that understands that one type of hybrid isn't right for everyone. come to the lexus golden opportunity sales event and choose from one of five lexus hybrids

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an unprecedented closure of american embassies and consulates now extended all week after the interception of an al qaeda message that has the united states on a higher terror alert. al qaeda may be relying on one man for its next attack. a bomb maker who's as ruthless as he is ingenious. brian todd is joining us now. he's been looking into this individual. what are you finding out? >> reporter: wolf, we've been speaking with u.s. intelligence officials about this man, he is the top bomb maker for al qaeda in the arabian peninsula. u.s. officials tell us he's hiding out in yemen. he's on the run. he's a high-value target for american drones. but he is as much of a threat to american interest as any member of al qaeda. u.s. intelligence officials have said he could be the most dangerous terrorist america faces. ibrahim al

a u.s. intel he is the golden goose of that al qaeda lflt. they're guarded with his communications. peter bergen says that's for good reason. >> the ability to smuggle a essentially undetectable bomb onto a plane or some other location, i mean that's golden for al qaeda. >> reporter: western intelligence officials say he is behind the foiled 2009 underwear bomb plot to bring down an airliner approaching detroit on christmas day and a 2010 plot to send bombs in printer cart riris in planes bound for the u.s. both plots were foiled at the last minute. in 2009 he even planted a bomb on his own brother in his underwear or a body cavity. the brother got close to saudi arabia's counterterrorism chief and set it off, killing himself but not the saudi minister. >> what does it say he does this

with his own brother? >> it says that he's absolutely ruthless. not only is he ruthless, he is, according to leading explosive experts in the west, really good at what he does. he's proud the most sophisticated devices ever seen from al qaeda. >> reporter: last year u.s. officials say he was behind another foiled plot to send another bomb in the underwear of a terrorist on a commercial plane bound for the u.s. the head of the tsa called that a next gen device. >> it was a new type of explosive that we had never seen in either the u.s. or around the world by terrorists, so all of our explosive detection equipment, which screens over a million checked bags every day just in the yuds wasn't calibrated to detect that. >> that device had a double initiation system. two syringes of chemical detonators instead of one.

and he said the bomb couldn't be detected by machines or dogs. has this young mastermind trained others? >> i think the understanding is that he has instructed other people in his techniques. now, he's obviously a pretty skilled bomb maker. to what extent has he rep licatd himself i don't think is clear. >> reporter: could the newest bombs avoid detection by the tsa body scanners? that's not clear. the tsa would only tell us it has a multi-layered strategy to detect explosives, including what it calls the best imaging technology. >> pretty dangerous bomb maker to be sure. all right, brian, thanks very much for that. coming up, u.s. forces are now on the move, so how quickly could they respond if, if al qaeda strikes? [ male announcer ] these days, a small business can save by sharing. like carpools... polly wants to know if we can pick her up. yeah, we can make room. yeah. [ male announcer ] ...office space. yes, we're loving this communal seating. it's great. [ male announcer ] the best thing to share? a data plan.

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for all of us. teams of u.s. military special forces now on alert overseas as the united states extends its unprecedented embassy closures amid concern about a possible terror plot. the senior administration official tells cnn the special forces would attack potential al qaeda targets if the u.s. can identify those targets behind the current threats. cnn's tom foreman is working this part of the story for us, along with our cnn contributor, the retired u.s. army general. explain, tom, what's going on. >> wolf, we all know about the presence of al qaeda in this region. let's light up the map to look at it here.

where it's red you can see where they have their strongest presence. where it's gold, a little weaker in their presence. here are all the areas that we're really concerned about, our embassies and western interests. so you can see the overlap. general, talk to us about the military presence that routinely guards all these areas against that al qaeda threat. >> tom, there are military forces assigned in europe that can reach into the region very quickly. army, navy, air force and marine. and the marine alert status has increased in both spain and italy and there is a naval presence right off yemen in the red sea. there are marines afloat with that naval presence as well. >> so people who can get on the ground very quickly. yemen is a particular interest here. i want to step back and flip this down so we can look at the landscape of yemen here. particularly we're going to go to the capital and talk about the u.s. embassy there. this is the compound that we're going to highlight. it's about two and a half, three blocks square, something like that. general, what is the military

presence inside a compound like this? what is their mission? >> inside the embassy grounds, there will be a marine guard force of 15 to 25, maybe more folks now highly trained, capable of kinetic operations to protect personnel and the facility. no authority to conduct offensive operations outside the compound. >> so their responsibility stops right at the wall, but there is activity outside the wall. if we look at this, you can see there's been pressure put on the roads outside here to try to control some of the traffic to and from, not to let any big trucks get nearby. how is that happening? >> you're going see essentially two things. one is blockades, barriers to move forces and crowds to areas where you want them to be. you're also going to see very mobile up armored capability and with intelligence, those capabilities can move into certain varied locations to move crowds away. >> is this something that is controlled by or operated by the u.s. military? >> no, not at all. these are yemeni military

forces. there's coordination between the u.s. and the yemeni military. but this is where the united states relies on local forces to take care of our security outside the compound. >> wolf mentioned the idea of special operations forces. is there any real role for them in all of this? if so, what? >> the special opes guys are there, and i would assume that they are, very precise targeting, rescue operations, and providing kinetic, very high skilled forces on the ground. if there is a threat to this compound that the marines can't handle. >> and that would be true in many, many places out there, wolf, not just here in yemen as the u.s. military stands by to bring a lot of force to bear if any of these threats to come pass. >> and all these countries, the u.s. has to rely on the host country for a lot of the security and they can't always rely on the host country so that's a serious problem. guys, thanks very, very much. tomorrow here in "the situation room" the former israeli defense

minister will be joining us. thanks very much for joining us today. i'm wolf blitzer in washington. "erin burnett outfront" starts right now. outfront next, america's embassies still closed. we now know the threat that prompted the closures came from the leader of al qaeda himself. we have new details on that tonight, plus dramatic new images of the asiana plane crash shot moments after the plane went down. these were stunning to see today. and a motorist plows into a crowd on venice beach. what we are just now learning about the driver tonight. let's go outfront. good evening, everyone. i'm erin burnett. outfront tonight, the developing story of the night. a terror threat directly from the leader of al qaeda. cnn is learning that an intercepted message from ayman zawahiri, to senior al qaeda